GLENCAIRN: Scotland’s leading crystal company toasts to Queen’s Award for International Enterprise

Glencairn – Scotland’s most renowned and celebrated crystal company – has been awarded the highest accolade in British business: The Queen’s Award for International Enterprise.

As this year’s Queen’s Awards are announced today, Glencairn raises a toast to their third Queen’s Award since 2006 from the UK’s most prestigious business accolades, celebrating their win as one of Scotland’s most successful family-owned and run companies of the past three decades.

Founded in 1980 by Raymond Davidson and now managed by Raymond’s sons, Paul and Scott Davidson, Glencairn’s global reputation has become synonymous with quality, innovation and exceptional customer service within the fine crystal and glassware industry. Over the past three decades, the company has become of the most successful and pioneering businesses within both the whisky and packaging industries – not just in the UK, but on the global stage.

Celebrated for its ground-breaking creation of the Glencairn Whisky Glass the world over, in addition to its extraordinary spirit packaging craftsmanship, Glencairn’s reputation as one of the most enterprising and creative organisations within the drinks industry has gone from strength to strength. Their business now boasts clients from every major drinks organisation – large and small. The Glencairn Whisky Glass is now an iconic emblem within the whisky world and one that has invigorated and educated whisky drinkers and novices around the world.

Since being founded, Glencairn has grown its team to over 50 full time staff at their East Kilbride facility, with 3 million Glencairn whisky glasses (plus other crystal products) now reaching over 60 export markets globally.

Since 2012, company growth has trebled internationally, and as demand within the whisky industry continues to soar for bespoke glassware and high quality decanters, so do the opportunities arising for Glencairn’s global presence within the sector.

At the heart of this continued success is the company’s family values and unique approach to business: something that is appreciated and much loved amongst Glencairn’s clients and suppliers alike. As the company continues to celebrate success, the values on which the business was built over 30 years ago are retained at every level of the organisation.

Paul Davidson, Managing Director said:

“At Glencairn, we pride ourselves on the highest level of customer service, quality craftsmanship and above all else, treating our suppliers, employees and clients with extraordinary care and attention at all times. We believe in challenging ourselves to deliver a product that not only reflects our customer’s requirements and expectations – but exceeds them. The recognition that we have received from The Queen’s Award this year and in the past, helps to reinforce, not only our business and growth success, but also our management and development skills for the superb team we have within the business. We are delighted to be awarded such an incredible and highly esteemed award once again.”

Competing with some of the UK’s leading businesses, The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise celebrate the outstanding achievement from UK businesses in the categories of innovation, international trade and sustainable development. In addition to the award this year, Glencairn has previously won:

“We are proud to be at the forefront of innovation within the industry, leading the world in the development of premium decanters for premium aged whisky. We have developed vessels for some of the finest and most rare whisky ever sold in the world. We position ourselves as Scotland’s Crystal Company and, with our expertise in crystal, design and packaging and we are honoured to now be the pre-eminent supplier of premium crystal to the market.”

Glencairn’s clients includes leading drinks companies, brands and other outlets, including: BP, Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament, Muller, Google, Scottish Parliament and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international whisky and spirit producers.

My name is Greg, and I’m a brand strategy consultant, writer, speaker, host and judge specialising in premium spirits. My mission is to experience, share and inspire with everything great about whisky, whiskey, gin, beer and fine dining through my writing, my brand building and my whisky tastings.